No Matter What
by Storm Elf
Summary: yes, i do realize that this suck beyond comprihension kina like my spelling at the moment I keep it up as proof that i really SUCKED at writting at one point in time. but the good news is that i have improved!
1. Chapter 1

NO MATTER WHAT  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: as I'm sure you know, I, sadly, don't own any of the LOTR guys. I wish that I did though  
  
As Aragorn wandered the forest, he thought about the task ahead of him. Rumors of another ring had spread far enough to reach the shire. The ring was different from the other in many ways. For starters, it was silver, it had a stone, there were no inscriptions on it, and you didn't turn invisible, something else happened.  
  
When he arrived at Bag-end he was knocked over by three over-excited hobbits. Pippin was shivering, Merry had been crying, and Frodo seemed quite distressed. All of them motioned for him to come inside. Frodo's house had apparently been torn apart. There were papers laying all over the floor, his dresser was laying on its side, and it looked like a war zone.  
  
"What happened here?" Aragorn couldn't hide his surprise; Frodo's house was normally immaculate when people were expected to come over. "Is this what has you so upset?"  
  
"No" Merry almost squeaked. "This isn't it."  
  
"You had better come with us, Strider." Frodo's voice seemed almost as if he was in a dream.  
  
"We had better tell him what happened first." Pippin stopped Frodo from going out the door. "It would be best if he heard first, to get him ready for what is ahead."  
  
Frodo agreed and started the long tale. "We don't know entirely what happened. What we do know is that Sam is gone. Merry and Pippin took me out to, well, take some of farmer Maggots crops, mushrooms to be more exact. We were getting them for Sam. In a day or two it will be Sam's anniversary with Rosie. We were going to make him a special dinner for the two of them. When we got back he was gone. We found orc tracks all over and a place that it looked like there was a struggle. We found Rosie less than a league away in some bushes. She was badly bruised and wasn't awake, but she was there and she was alive. We found her just hours before you arrived.  
  
Before they knew what they had gotten themselves into, they were off to find the others. If there were orcs involved, there was a good chance that the stories of the ring were true. On the other hand, it could mean that orcs were just pissed off at the hobbits. Either way, Sam couldn't boast about being the only hobbit in the fellowship that was never captured by orcs.  
  
"We should split up, that way we can find the others faster." Pippin was amazed at his insight.  
  
"No, not with something hunting hobbits in the area. We don't want you to end up like Sam." When Aragorn finished speaking he was almost sure that he heard a cry of "speak for yourself" in the background noise of the wind.  
  
"Then who should we get first? Legolas might be in his father's realm but he might still be with Gimli. If Gimli isn't with Legolas, where would he be? Most importantly, where should we look for Gandalf?" Frodo seemed to ask as many questions as Pippin normally did. The only difference was that he was asking more important questions.  
  
"Don't worry any about Gandalf, I think that we will find him if we go along our own ways. He does seem to have a 6th sense about these kinds of things. That must be why he always shows up when trouble happens. I think that he just might show up on his own." Aragorn told them as he thought of what to do next. "I would say that our best bet would be to go to Mirkwood. Even if Legolas isn't there his father should have a good idea where to find him. Not only that but the Lonely Mountain isn't too far away. The dwarves there would know where Gimli is. They should anyway."  
  
"Then that is the plan." Frodo announced as if there was any doubt.  
  
They spend an hour packing everything that they would need. They assumed that they would all be making a journey not only to Mirkwood but also to The Lonely Mountain. Frodo packed a cooking kit that he had planned to give  
  
Sam but hadn't chosen when. Pippin packed the things to make his favorite meal, snack, and other such necessaries. Merry also packed the same as Pip.  
  
Once on the rode they traveled slowly then quickly. They couldn't seem to keep some sort of consistent pace. When it was Frodo's turn to stand watch they would move quickly the next day, same with Aragorn. On the other hand, if it was Merry's or Pippin's watch they would move slowly the next day. Because of that and a small rain shower they were delayed three days.  
  
The welcome to the northern realm was one to be remembered. Some of the memories were good and others were not so good. One that was not so good was the arrival. They were greeted with bows held taunt with arrows that would fly fast and deadly. Once the elves realized that they meant no harm they allowed them to pass. The better memories were after that moment. The hobbits most memorable event was supper. The elves took hours making enough food for the three hungry hobbits and a meal fit for a king. It wasn't until after that that they met with the Legolas's father.  
  
"I have heard a great deal about you three, and the other hobbit. I have also heard about the great king of Gondor." Legolas's father told them as they entered.  
  
"I am afraid that I have not heard much of you though, other that that you are the king here and that you are Legolas's father." Aragorn said in much the same respect.  
  
"I don't believe that hobbits travel much, the same cannot be said for rangers. Is that true?"  
  
"Yes, that is interlay true." Pippin told the Eleven-king.  
  
"Then why, may I ask, have the hobbits traveled here and where is there friend. I do believe that I was told that there were 4, not 3."  
  
"We have come to find out where Legolas is, I greatly desire to speak with him. The matters are concerning only a few. The other hobbit was taken by orcs and I hope that Legolas may help us. Now may I ask where he is?"  
  
"You may, but you will not get I defined answer. I don't know exactly where he is at the moment. I know where he is headed. Would you like to have that information, though I cannot tell you all of it?" the king's calm was steady yet swift, as though he wanted to say it and be done with the conversation.  
  
"Any that you have would be of up-most importance to us." Aragorn, who was controlling most of the talk on the fellowship side, informed the king.  
  
"He is headed to an inn. The name of it is Mori. He left a few days ago but is taking a long way. He has some, how should I put this, detours, that he must take. One thing is of great importance to him. I believe that he tried to contact you on the subject but all the messengers were attacked by orcs. I think that I will let him tell you of it. Now, Aragorn, I will show you the area that he will be going to. As for the hobbits, you may take your rooms now. If you wish, I can have ponies and horses ready in the morning to make your journey faster. I by no means wish for you to leave that early if you do not want to. I just assumed that you wanted to by how eager you were asking about it."  
  
"Thank you, Thranduil." Merry thanked the king as he grabbed Pippin and Frodo and dashed off to the kitchen. There was no way that they were going to bed without more food. Frodo also wanted to get the cook's recipe for some of the food they had eaten during their stay.  
  
"I thank you for your kindness to the hobbits and for the offer of the horses but we cannot accept. We will leave tonight if at all possible. I feel that it would be best to travel in the dark so that it would pervade some shield from whatever is in command of the orcs." Aragorn commented as he and the king walked to the room that housed the maps. "Some of the paths that I take may not be suitable for horses and the grass may be poor." Aragorn was tired and wished to stay but knew that this was not a matter to delay any further than they had already. "If I decide that horses would be good or need to return for any other reason, would you be here?"  
  
"No, I am leaving in less time than you are. I do think that you should stay the night. You will beat my son there by a night even if you do. He would get there the same day but would want to rest the night. After I show you where the inn is I am going to depart. It may be a journey of days but it is made in joy. I may not say more on the matter at this moment." With that, Thranduil stopped the conversation. Aragorn tried to start it up again but Thranduil dismissed the idea by insisting that they must hurry.  
  
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!! 


	2. Chapter 2

NO MATTER WHAT  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
The journey would have taken only three days with the horses in good weather but they had neither. The weather was rain and wind and they had no horses. All that they had was their own will to save Sam and the food that they had brought. Hope seemed to dance ahead of them. Never too far off to miss being seen but always too far to be touched. It only made sense to go on to reach the fleeing hope.  
  
As Thranduil predicted, they arrived too early to meet his son. The elf that was ran the inn was not nearly enthusiastic about the possibility of housing a dwarf. As soon as they entered tension filled the air. People looked up from what they were doing to stare at them. It wasn't often that men and hobbits traveled together. They thought that it was odd to see such short people around in the forest.  
  
"You say that you are expecting to meet up with a dwarf, elf and a wizard to find another hobbit. What odd company you keep. Who may I ask is the wizard that you seek? One has arrived here just a week ago. I think that he may be the one you wish to speak with." The elf that ran the inn questioned.  
  
"His name is Gandalf." Frodo informed the elf.  
  
"He is here! That is the wizard that came. You must be Baggens! He has mentioned you to me. He said that you were the one who carried the ring to Mordor. Frodo the nine fingered! How good it is to see you here." The elf looked around nervously. "Could I ask if you need any rooms and how many?" he questioned after turning back to them.  
  
"The three of us can stay in one room if you have one with three beds," He said gesturing to the other two hobbits and himself. "and I think that Strider could have his own. Oh, also, I want to know, do you know if Legolas is going to come here?"  
  
"Yes, he is. He should be coming any day now. I don't know the exact time of his arranged arrival but I do know that he is coming. He will be staying with someone but I do not know their name. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"  
  
"Have any orcs come through lately?" Merry piped up.  
  
"Yes, yes come to think of it, they have. They stayed only a day and left when they saw Gandalf. Only a few days ago. If I remember right, they had a sack with them that wiggled and squirmed about. They said that it was a goblin but I don't believe them. It was too small." With that the elf found some other business to interest himself in.  
  
The small fellowship went off in search of Gandalf. They didn't have to look too far. Elves everywhere they went were talking about a wizard that had come to town. Pippin, the self proclaimed master spy, listened in on conversations in the common tongue and Aragorn listened in on those in Elvish. Between the two they learned a great deal of information but none that helped. They learned of tale of heroism and of Frodo the nine fingered. Apparently, when a hobbit comes to town all other things of minimal importance is left behind and only he is talked about.  
  
"Have you heard, a Hobbit has come to town. They say that it is frodo, the hobbit that took the ring to destroy it." one elf told another.  
  
"I have heard that he is staying at Mori. That is the place that the owner let orcs stay in." the other elf replied. "The owner said that he let the orcs stay there so that they wouldn't attack him. I think he is lying. Either way, I have heard that Legolas Greenleaf is going to come. He is even staying at that inn when he arrives. I wish that he wouldn't. He needs to stay in an inn where the elf is impartial to the destruction of in inn and would gladly sacrifice it to refuse service to such creatures as orcs. There I would feel that he would be safe."  
  
"You have a valid point." Pippin, not thinking as usual, interrupted. Because they looked at him oddly he continued. "I would feel better if that was the case but I wouldn't worry about him too much. I know him well. If any orc tried to attack him without him knowing it they would fail miserably. I know, to sneak up on an elf is hard."  
  
"Well, what to we have here, a small nosey hobbit. How nice. Shame he isn't Frodo." The elf that spoke first said with a smile.  
  
"Nope. Instead you have Pip! The great hobbit that helped Frodo." Pippin told them with great relish in his voice.  
  
"Poor Frodo. I don't see how he would have managed to help. Almost sad that he cannot find better company to travel with." The second elf whispered to the first who laughed when he heard it.  
  
They shooed him away before they said anymore. Pippin, rather than harassing the two elves, went over to sit with the other hobbits. As soon as Pippin sat down Merry handed him a tall mug. Pippin gave a thankful look and then went about telling the other hobbits what he heard. There wasn't that much but it was still worth telling. Soon Aragorn come over saying that he had found Gandalf and that he wanted to talk to Frodo.  
  
Merry and Pippin sat there as they walked away. They wished that they had been asked to talk to Gandalf as well but knew that if Gandalf caught them they would wish that they were hobbitnaped instead of Sam. They waited until Aragorn returned with Frodo.  
  
"I cannot go with you." Frodo said almost in a daze as he approached the table. "Gandalf said that you must gather Legolas and save Sam. Gandalf and I will get Gimli and go in search of the new ring, if there is a new one. He said that it must be that way and so I will listen. When he says that something is for the better it normally is."  
  
Merry and Pippin were too startled at first to do much more than look at him. Sitting there with their mouths wide open they could hear some elves around them calling them fish or frogs hopping that a fly would go into their mouths and be caught. They didn't quite believe what the hear Frodo say and therefore didn't believe that what the elves said was truly what came out of their mouths. They didn't want to believe that Frodo, Sam's best friend, wouldn't be there to greet him when they rescued him from the ors.  
  
"Before Gandalf, Gimli, and I set off we are going to go to Rivendale to hear what others closer to Mordor have heard about the new ring. We might not even get to set off to Mordor for a month after we arrive at Rivendale. I'm sorry guys. I wanted to go with you as much as you want me to come." With that Frodo set off to his room to pack his belongings. They sent the new cooking kit with Merry and Pippin so that Sam could get it quickly.  
  
The next day Frodo was off. Everyone knew that if Gandalf thought that it was best then it probably was. That way not only will the job get done quicker but they would probably meet up near the end. Even if they didn't end up in the same place they would be able to tell tales of their new adventure to each other.  
  
The next two days were spent waiting for Legolas to show up. On the third day the hobbits went to eat dinner with Aragorn and some of the friends that he had made. The restaurant was elven-owned and, because they were friends of Frodo, all the hobbits ate at half price. Aragorn was offered the same deal but didn't take it. He told them that they were already losing enough money on the hobbits. They soon knew what he meant when they saw the food that Pippin and Merry ordered.  
  
By the time they got back Araorn had officially given up on trying to keep the two hobbits sober. They stumbled in after hi slipped into the inn nearly unnoticed. They effectively ruined his efforts to keep quiet by tripping and falling on top of him.  
  
"Oh!" Cried the elf at the counter who had nearly been sleeping. "I didn't know that you were here! Yes! It is you. You were the ones looking for Greenleaf, right?"  
  
"Yes, has he arrived?" Pippin almost jumped up on the counter. He seemed to have thrown off the effects of the beer that he had finished. Merry was still working on throwing them off but could hardly manage to op, let alone jump.  
  
"Just less than five minutes ago. The elf that he was staying wit went up right away. He went off just as you guys came in. some elves stopped him to talk so I don't know how long he has been delayed in getting to is room. Just incase you don't see him in the halls, turn right at the split in the first hall, then you go up a flight of stairs and his room is the third one on the right. (Big place isn't it)" 


	3. Chapter 3

NO MATTER WHAT  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The highly polished floor caused the hobbits to slip slightly as the trekked down the long halls that led, or they were told that they led, to the room that Legolas was staying in. Along the way they met three elves. The elves were extremely caught up in some conversation and didn't seem to notice the Aragorn or the two tripping hobbits.  
  
"Can you believe it?" one of them said. "Legolas Greenleaf. You would think that there would have been more news on it. I can't believe that he would do that so quickly. He should have taken his time. You know what I mean, look into other opportunities rather than commit to one single choice forever."  
  
"I think that it was a good choice. I might not have known the other elf but I have heard that everyone supported his choice. If that is what he wants then so be it. His life that he hurts if things don't work out."  
  
"Not so. This partnership is a two way deal there is no way to hurt one side without hurting the other. Just say that one of them gets killed. The other might not make it trough the grief."  
  
"it hurts me to know that he got himself in the situation that he is in. He should have been smarter than that. I know that other elf. They are bad news." The elf that had been silent the whole time spoke up.  
  
Pippin would have liked to hear more of the conversation but he had to keep up with Aragorn and Merry. Merry had to come back to grab Pippin. Aragorn had already turned the corner. When they turned the next corner they actually saw Legolas close the door and enter his room. They quickly shuffled over there and knocked.  
  
"Hang on a moment." Legolas's voice was slightly annoyed but not enough for them to detect (other than Aragorn).  
  
When he opened the door his anger was apparent to Merry. Pippin didn't notice because Merry's head was blocking his view and he wasn't tall enough to see over his cousin. He had a feeling that Legolas, because he had just gotten in his room and was already getting disturbed, was angry.  
  
"I know that this may be a bad time." Aragorn was almost apologetic in his greeting. "We just really need your help."  
  
"Could you wait a day or two?" Legolas tried to cover up the fact that he didn't want anyone to bother him but now even Pippin knew that he tall elf was not extremely excited to see them.  
  
"I'm afraid not. We need your help immediately. We have to leave tonight. The least time we waste the better. I can't discuss what brings me here at the moment but I need you to come with me." Aragorn did his best to avoid any type of confrontation with his long time friend.  
  
"I have already heard of the new ring. I was expecting that you would come and try to recruit me to help you." Legolas said, despite his "wonderful" mood, as he grew impatient. "If that is what is bothering you then it can wait a day or two!"  
  
"That isn't it!" Pippin yelled back at him, almost forgetting that for every three strides Pippin took Legolas only took one. In other words, he had better not get in a situation that he had to run from his elven friend. "This is much more important! Frodo, Gandalf, and Gimli are going to look into that! Well I'm sorry if this is bad timing for you! I know that it just seems as though we planned for Sam to get hobbit-napped just to be inconvenient to you but we didn't! Nothing can be more important than saving our friends! We wouldn't wait until it was convenient to help you so you don't wait until it is convenient for you to help us!" Everyone just looked at Pippin when he finished that loud yell.  
  
"I was planning to help. I'm just tired from the trip. All I need is one or two night to recover."  
  
"Merry, Pippin, go wait in the tavern." Aragorn shooed them away.  
  
"But…"  
  
"Go!" after the two had gone Aragorn turned back to Legolas. "Why don't you want to leave tonight? I know that you were lying when you told Pippin that you were tired. You can tell me."  
  
"No, it isn't important. I know that saving Sam is more important than this." Though he sounded sure of what he was saying he knew it wasn't true. It was comparable to a kid saying that they could eat some cake but they know that they would get hit for it. His heart wasn't truly into it.  
  
"I think that you have made the right choice, even if you didn't want to. You have a quarter of an hour to get ready. Tie up whatever conversations you were having with the other elf in your room."  
  
Aragorn wasn't planning to wait in the tavern with the hobbits. He had had enough to drink and had asked his beer mug questions after turning it upside down. (Long story involving a magic eight ball.) Instead he was going to listen in on Legolas. He figured that even if they talked in Elvish he could understand them. What he hadn't counted on was that elves could hear sounds better than he could. That meant that they didn't have to talk very loud. They could almost whisper from across the room.  
  
"Go…I just have…no…I…you. You know that." That was all that Aragorn could hear. He could tell that it was Legolas talking.  
  
"Legolas! You can't go! You promised that you would wait a full year before you went off anywhere. I don't know why I put up with you. You know that any elf in his right mind would jump at the chance!" Aragorn couldn't tell anything about the other elf in the room other than that they wanted Legolas to go even less than Legolas did.  
  
In the end the two of them seemed to reach an agreement. Legolas had to leave but would do his best to keep it quick. At that the time was up. Aragorn knocked on the door and told Legolas that it was time to go. He came out without as much as a word. He was very solemn as he walked to the bottom, part of the inn where the hobbits were. Aragorn thought that the elf walked like a prisoner being brought to the gallows. He trudge of the condemned, the last dignified walk.  
  
They picked up the hobbits and continued on. The weather wasn't that bad and they ran into very few problems. Merry and Pippin behaved themselves. They seemed to sense the tension in the air. When something is up hobbits can tell. They could feel that communication was not flowing freely between one member of the group and another. 


	4. Chapter 4

NO MATTER WHAT  
  
  
  
Cool, now I know the secret of how to get people to review, just have some sort of mystery about Legolas and they try to figure it out. I promise that this is not some crappy story where the problem was that their father hurt them (There are too many of those) or one where he spends his time trying to get some lady to like him (there are even more of those). Other than that, I have no promise.  
  
  
  
Knowing that they had to do something other than just watch their companions silently suffer, Merry and Pippin devised a plan to find out what was wrong.  
  
"Pip, you take Aragorn. Try to find out what is wrong. Ask about Arwen. That would be my first guess if someone ever asked me, which they don't. I'll ask Legolas if there is something wrong. Meet at the edge of the small stream under the willow tree. That way they won't see us meet up. I don't want them to think that something is up. See ya soon." With that Merry departed. He soon paused for a moment. Chances were Pippin would want to know why Merry assigned him Aragorn. The truth was that because Pippin had yelled at Legolas he would have better luck with Aragorn.  
  
"Aragorn" Pippin found the ranger trying desperately to find firewood. "Hey, when is supper and what are we having?" Pippin tried to make this seem as normal as possible. He thought that Aragorn would expect him to ask about food.  
  
"I have no idea, now help me get some wood or you will be supper."  
  
"Alright. What is with your mood? Normally you aren't so snappy at people. Is something wrong?"  
  
"NO!" Aragorn shouted with such ferocity that Pippin almost wet himself. "Um… no, there is nothing wrong."  
  
"Ah ha! There is something wrong! What is it? You might as well tell me."  
  
"Alright, you caught me, just don't tell anyone."  
  
"Is it about Arwen?"  
  
"Well, kind of. Elrond is not sure that he will let me marry her. That is all. Arwen says that he will but I'm just nervous. Sorry I was so mean. Don't bother with the wood, I'll take care of it." Although Pippin didn't notice it, Aragorn was just trying to get rid of him.  
  
"Hi Legolas!" Merry piped up as he saw him. "Nice day, isn't it?"  
  
"Not particularly." Legolas hardly looked over at Merry and continued inspecting his bow for defects that were not there.  
  
"What's wrong?" Merry knew, or thought he knew, that he was going to get the communications open.  
  
"Nothing that concerns hobbits, nothing that concerns more than two elves for that matter. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Just wanted to make sure that there is noting wrong. Come on, you can tell me."  
  
"You want to know what is wrong?" Merry nodded quickly in agreement. "I'll tell you what it wrong. There is an annoying hobbit trying to stick his nose where it doesn't belong! Now go or that hobbit will have no nose!"  
  
Merry, knowing that Legolas just might carry thought with his threat, ran off to where he was to meet Pippin. To add speed, Legolas put an arrow in a tree as Merry ran by it. Pippin was there waiting for him. When Merry saw the smile of Pippin's face he knew that is friend had not failed him. Pippin told his story first. They talked about it until they were sure that that was not the uneasiness that was bothering them. At first Merry was reluctant to say that he had failed to get information about what was bothering Legolas. Pippin cheered him up by telling him that now they knew that Legolas was upset. Pippin had become so accustomed to creating such excuses for himself that it was no big deal coming up with one for his cousin.  
  
~~~Sorry that it is so short, I just wanted to have something else to put here~~~ 


	5. Chapter 5

No Matter What  
  
  
  
My My My, so many questions to be answered. #1, what is wrong with him, sorry saps, you have to wait. Not long though. It will probably be next chapter. Right now I really need and answer to a question. Should I move the Rating up to PG13 because of mild swearing (Repeated use of D word, calling a girl a really not-nice name that starts with s, (Aragorn might need to go into therapy after that happens. Poor Arwen) that is about all.) I really need to know or else I cannot put up the next chapter! You want the next chapter, don't you?  
  
About a week later the fellowship was resting by the edge of the river. An uneasy silence had fallen on them within the last hour. Each member was at a heightened state of alert each thinking that something big was coming and each having a different idea of what it was. They seemed too reactive to everything. Perhaps it was that no orcs had appeared. In fact they had lost track of the orcs a day after they left the inn. They had meet up with Gimli who was going to leave for Rivindale in a few days but was staying with them for the moment.  
  
On the day that Legolas would never forget Merry and Pippin were standing watch. It was a fairly sunny day with some clouds. The morning was a crisp one with winds that twirled and teased the flowers by blowing them this way and that. This made it harder for Merry and Pippin to see movement in the forest. Perhaps that is why they didn't see him.  
  
Aragorn was the first to spot him. A lone elf walking beside a horse. The horse was a snowflake appaloosa (for those who don't know, a snowflake appaloosa has spots allover, kind of like a Dalmatian horse. It doesn't have that black/brown on most of it then a spotted white but). His mane was gray but not in the normal sense. It was a mix of white and black hair that appeared gray. Why the elf wasn't riding this beautiful horse, no one could tell. Aragorn did not like how stealthy the elf was being. He didn't trust it. When elves sneak around they normally have a reason. They are good at sneaking around enough as it is without trying.  
  
Merry didn't notice him until he popped out of the bushes about a foot from Merry's nose. Merry yelled louder than anyone ever heard him yell. He slashed at the elf with his sword.  
  
"STOP!" the elf yelled as he scurried up a tree. "I don't want to hurt you!" he looked around to see who was around. "Can I come down, I don't want a dwarf to see an elf scared up a tree by a hobbit with a poorly kept knife." He told them eyeing Gimli.  
  
"No, you cannot come down. This is a sword! It is well kept! Gimli, come here!"  
  
"Perhaps a sword to a hobbit, just call off your dwarf!"  
  
"What, do I scare you?" Gimli asked with a smile on his face. The elf nodded.  
  
"I'm only a messenger, I'm not even armed. Please, just let me deliver my messae and go." The elf panted with a mix of fear and determination.  
  
"Then get down here and deliver it!" Gimli roared.  
  
The elf got down the tree with his eyes never leaving Gimli's. The horse that he had been with was still standing nearby. He went over to the horse and got out a parchment that was rolled and had a ring around it to keep it closed. He treated it with extreme caution as if it was going to break into a million pieces if something touched it slightly harder than a gentle breeze. They also noticed that he kept his hand off the small delicate ring that bound the paper into a small tube. The ring was nothing special, or so it seemed. It didn't look that different from any other ring that you could buy at almost any place that sold elven jewelry. But somehow the small ring gave them a feeling of great importance. As if it was something more than it seemed. What that something was was something yet to be determined. They couldn't feel the evil as they could with the one ring. This one must have been important for other reasons.  
  
The elf strode past Gimli, He nicely stepped on Gimli's feet to show how much he loved the fact that there was a dwarf near by. He handed the parchment to Legolas. When he gave it to him he muttered something in elvish to him softly but not softly enough for Aragorn to not understand it. "It is grim and grave news from your father. I know not what it is but I was told to tell you to read it when you were alone. Preferably when you were far from your group. For the record, if it is news of sadness, I'm sorry. If it is good news, I congratulate you. (I don't know how it could be good news if it is grim but this elf wasn't thinking nor was I) If there would be something more appropriate, then I send that to you." With that the elf scurried back to his horse and was off.  
  
Legolas took a moment to examine the ring before putting the message in his pocket. He then went to work on packing his stuff. They were going to leave soon so he wanted to be ready. He didn't know if he wanted to read the message. The ring that was around it told him that it was not good news. If it was what he thought it was he really wanted to read it alone. "Tonight, tonight when it is my turn to stand watch. They will be sleeping. That would be the perfect time to read it." He said softly to no one in particular.  
  
"Nay," Aragorn said as he crept from behind. "If it is really that bad then you would be distracted and wouldn't be keeping a good watch. I'm sure that you could find a better time, maybe when we are not depending on you and when you can relax instead of worry about orcs. Do not read it during your watch." With that Aragorn went back to whatever he was doing before.  
  
"Merry," Pippin pulled Merry aside for a moment. "Maybe now we can find out what is bothering him. As I recall, that was your job."  
  
"Alright, Alright, I'll go" with that Merry stode off.  
  
"Legolas, what is wrong?"  
  
"Do you remember what I told you last time?"  
  
"Yes…" Merry didn't get to finish because he was then punched in the face. When he saw the hand fly at him he noticed something different but he couldn't place it. There was a gleam of gold but he could tell no more. Elves move fast so when you get punched by one you don't exactly get time to examine their hands. The worst part was he could feel blood dripping down his cheek. He whimpered and ran off. He was not only hurt physically but also hurt that Legolas would hit him.  
  
when Merry was running off the ran into Aragorn (Yes I mean truly ran into). Aragorn took one look at his face and grabbed the crying hobbit.  
  
"What is wrong, who did this to you!" Aragorn asked as he sat Merry on the ground to better examine his cut.  
  
"(Sob sob sob) it (sob) was Legolas (sob)"  
  
"Why! Why did he do this!" Aragorn asked a gently as he could.  
  
"Owwwww…) Merry yelled as Aragorn applied something to his face.  
  
"Don't worry, that was just some alcohol. I know that it burns but it will help. It also has some suff in it to help the healing process go faster. Now tell me why. What did you say to him?"  
  
"I, I just asked him what was wrong. I swear that I didn't to anything to hurt him. really, there was no reason."  
  
"I think that the message just put him in a bad mood. I know that you were trying to help but he just didn't want it. Just tell me, how did you get scratched if the punched you?"  
  
"I don't know, he must have had something on his hand. I could feel it."  
  
"Good little hobbit. Go find some mushrooms with Pippin. I think that I saw them when I was going to gather wood."  
  
Despite that Merry didn't like being treated like a baby he knew that Aragorn hadn't meant to be insulting. He told Pippin who just nodded.  
  
ELSEWHERE (where legolas still is)  
  
"Have you read it yet?" Aragorn asked almost silently.  
  
"No, I don't want to. I know what it says. As long as I haven't read it then it doesn't make it true to me yet. I just don't want to hear it."  
  
"And what do you think that it is? You can tell me."  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
  
  
What is wrong with Legolas? What does the note say? If you read the top part of the chapter (I know that you didn't) then you will have some idea. It involves the reason why this might end up as pg13. I WILL NOT PUT UP THE NEXT CHAPTER UNTIL I GET I DECISION (from you) ABOUT IF IT SHOULD GO UP TO PG13. That does not mean that you cannot review on other things. You are most welcome to review!  
  
Thank you for reading!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. Chapter 6

No Matter What  
  
  
  
Thank you to all of you who told me the rating  
  
TO: ???() And reviews are meant for people to say what they liked about the story, not say that they didn't like the summery that just said that it was not a slash… therefor describing it is not a slash, romance, or childhood beating fic. (See the reviews if you don't understand)  
  
PS: does anyone know where to find the review number or code or whatever it is that you have to type in to get rid of anonymous reviews?  
  
"Alright, Pippin, you look for food, Merry, you search for water, Legolas, find some decent fire wood." Aragorn told them the tasks to complete before diner. He was going to set up camp.  
  
It had been three days sense Gimli left them (in other words, three days sense he end of the last chapter). At the moment they were no closer to finding Sam than they were the day he was hobbitnapped. Legolas hadn't read the message yet because he hadn't had a moment to himself. Aragorn gave him the job of looking for firewood in hopes that he would feel alone enough to finally read it. The elf had been as testy as a vampire in the sunlight. He figured that this might cool him down.  
  
"Legolas," Aragorn called the elf to his side. "Read the message, for crying out loud, you said yourself that you know what it says. Who knows, if your wrong then you would have spent all this time worrying for nothing. Just, for your own sake if no one else's, read it"  
  
Legolas said nothing but simply nodded. He knew the area, not truly well, but he had been here once before. There was a nice clearing not far from where they were. That clearing was truly something that he remembered well. It was something special to him; something with a memory attached to it so tightly that it was the only place he could read it. Little did he know that the hobbits were not going to let him read in peace. They knew two things, something was up, and this message had something to do with it. As we know (if you read the books anyway) they loved to spy.  
  
Merry and Pippin spied for about ten minutes when then had to stop.  
  
"I remember when we got Sam to spy on Frodo. We learned so much." Pippin looked at the ground.  
  
"If it wasn't for that conspiracy we wouldn't have gone on the quest to destroy the ring. Pity we had to destroy it, it would have made a great souvenir." Merry joked to keep tears from his eyes.  
  
"If it wasn't for him…" Pippin couldn't finish. What he had meant to say was "if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have meet anyone in the fellowship. The ring might not have been destroyed." After some time he managed to choke that out.  
  
"But also they might have gotten through the Mines of Moria sense you wouldn't have been there. Don't cry Pip. Look up, we will get him back. If we don't then we will die trying."  
  
"We will either be heroes for saving him or saving the world from ourselves"  
  
"That's the spirit, wait a moment, we aren't that bad, the word does not need saving from us yet. At least not if you keep crying" Merry joked again and got Pippin to laugh. "If you cry then Legolas will hear us then we wont get to find out what was wrong. (alright end sappy sad hobbit part)  
  
They went on spying for upwards of an hour. They were about to give up when Legolas went into a clearing. He sat down for a moment then restlessly scoured the area. He soon settled and climbed up a tree. Merry and Pippin made sure that they had covering from the top. This did them little good when they almost jumped for joy when Legolas took out the parchment that the ring held together. He read it so detailed that it seemed to take forever for the two hobbits below. They couldn't see that he had stopped reading and was just stareing blankly at the paper. This was worse than what he thought it was. He wasn't sure how to handle it at first. Suddenly he heard a sound from below.  
  
"Well…"  
  
"Well what? How am I supposed to know what is going on?"  
  
It was Merry and Pippin, he was sure of it.  
  
"GO!" he yelled at them. When he didn't see two hobbits scamper off into the woods he figured that they were so slow he needed to explain it to them more. "GO! GET OUT OF HERE YOU WORTHLESS HOBBITS OR I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU ARE STRUNG UP BY YOUR NECKS" This produced surprisingly effective results. Legolas didn't know that their short legs could carry them so fast. He also didn't know just how persistent they were. Merry and Pippin were soon back to spying on him. This time they had separated themselves so that they wouldn't be tempted to talk.  
  
Merry found this to be a good time to use the spyglass that he had been given by Bilbo (I know that that did not happen, it is just convenient). Pippin had also gotten one and had been smart enough to bring it along (does this make up for what I said about him in my other story?). They almost screamed when they looked into each other but somehow managed not to yelp in surprise.  
  
From the angle he was at, Pippin had a hard time seeing anything but Merry made up for that with a great view. Soon he was so engrossed that he hardly noticed Aragorn coming up behind him. But before that a great deal of things happened.  
  
Legolas sat silently as if waiting for the letter to sink in. it had just happened to fast. He couldn't move his legs to get out of the tree. He was surprised that he managed to yell at Merry and Pippin. He resolved right then and there that he was not going to cry. Crying was below him, or at least that is what he said.  
  
Fighting back the tears that welled in his eyes, he tied a string around the ring that had been around the letter. Along with that ring he slipped another off his finger and put it on the string. He looked at them and muttered something in elvish. Merry couldn't hear what it was but had he it would have been something like this: "I wish we were as close as the rings." It would have been more poetic but that was the idea. He put the string over his neck and climbed down to a lower branch. This branch was important to him. He stroked it until he found the right place. It was a small knot on the underside. It wouldn't have gained much attention to anyone else, just another knot on the underside of another branch, on another tree. His fingers felt all around it until they found it, the right side of this knot had a hole. In truth, part of the branch he was on was hollow. He reached up inside and bulled out a tiny gold chain with a locket. Inside the locket was a tiny picture. (It was a big locket)  
  
He took it and the locket with him as he leapt from the tree. He walked about a foot from Merry but either didn't notice or didn't care. He had more important things on his mind than a nosey hobbit. It was then that Aragorn slipped behind Merry.  
  
"Looking at something are we?"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHH… ummmm, no?" Merry screamed, thought, then lied.  
  
"It is sad when someone can not even go to read a message without two or more hobbits following them. I am disappointed in both you and Pippin. Both of you know that this is important to him. I don't know what it is but I am sure that it is personal. If it wasn't he probably would have shared it with us."  
  
"At least I'm doing my part as a concerned friend!" Merry quickly retorted.  
  
"I asked him about it and when he said that he didn't want to talk about it I left him alone. He knows that he can talk to me and that he doesn't have to worry about me telling anyone or spying on him. Is it the same way with you?"  
  
"Ummmmmm… yes, I asked him what was wrong but he snapped at me!"  
  
  
  
ohh, nice cliff hanger, I have to give this one some time. Not only that but I also need answers to my question about the raiting. I have to put off not only telling you what is wrong but also putting the letter in the story until you tell me what you think (if you forgot, look back at the note on the last chapter) thank you to those who restponded. 


	7. Chapter 7

No Matter What  
  
  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!!!!!!!!! If it weren't for you I wouldn't have continued the story.  
  
After surviving their lecture, Merry and Pippin were just bundles of nerves. They thought that every sound was an orc sneaking up to attack. So you can imagine Merry's worries when there was a soft whispering sound that night. The soft sound was a persistent slow yet heavy breathing. At first he supposed that Pippin was crying about Sam. He found that that was not the case when he found Pippin sitting next to the fire with perfectly dry eyes. That was what the sound was like, crying, just a soft noise that was nearly musical. That is as far a crying goes. It was too silent to be sobs.  
  
When he tried to pin point the source he could not. The sound was almost far off or emitting from trees instead of from a person.  
  
"You know Strider, if I didn't know better I would think that every green leaf in this forest is crying about something."  
  
"Your partly right Merry, leaves that are green are crying. Now go to sleep. We wouldn't like to trouble these leaves. They don't bother us so we can to little to comfort them if they don't want it."  
  
"But they do trouble me. The sound is distracting it is unnerving! I'm going to find those leaves and shut them up."  
  
"Those leaves will beat you up and have some help from me. Just go to sleep!"  
  
"Not until I find those leaves."  
  
"Those leaves must have something bothering them. I don't think that your pestering is going to help. You don't get the idea about the green leaves do you?"  
  
"What idea?"  
  
"Goodnight Merry" that last comment that Merry had made had surprised Aragorn.  
  
"What idea? Tell me!"  
  
"Goodnight Merry!"  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"GOODNIGHT MERIDOC BRANDYBUCK!!!!!" Aragorn commanded.  
  
"G…g…goodnight Strider" Merry said as he slipped under the covers.  
  
"What an idiot!" Aragorn mumbled as he strode off.  
  
What Merry didn't get, incase you didn't get it either, was in fact a soft crying. Aragorn had truly noticed it before. He didn't need to wonder who/what it was. That sound was unmistakable. If you had ever heard an elf cry you would remember it very well. Merry's account was extremely accurate. Aragorn was once mad at all elves because they sounded good and slightly musical doing everything, even crying. He was curious as to why Legolas was so sad but figured that he should keep his mouth shut. He didn't have to wonder very long. Soon Merry, followed closely by Pippin, came over to him.  
  
"Aragorn, could you read this to us?" Merry asked anxiously.  
  
"Are your hobbit eyes incapable of reading?"  
  
"No, not that, it is in elvish." Pippin said, redeeming himself to a state of lower intelligence, he hadn't said anything wrong lately.  
  
"Did you steal that from Legolas?"  
  
"Ummm… no?"  
  
"GOOD NIGHT MERIDOC BRANDYBUCK! PERIGRIN TOOK, GO TO SLEEP!" Aragorn yelled at them. Telling them to go to sleep was convenient. He caught himself doing it more and more. He might just kick himself if he knew how much he would be saying it in the future. (Parenthesis means that that is what Aragorn is thinking as he reads the letter)  
  
Dear son,  
  
Damn that Aragorn (nice opening line)! I swear, if he ever enters Mirkwood I will have his head (sorry, Sauran has already ordered head of Aragorn. And we are fresh out. Will you settle for head of Pippin? Off with his head!)! What was he thinking (nothing, why?)? I will not rest until he is dead (I hope your wife approves.)!  
  
Sorry Legolas. Oh, this is your father's scribe now. I had to take the parchment from him. He was hurting all my quills (shows what he cares about). Anyway, what he was going to tell you before he started yelling about Aragorn (oh yes, before that) was that she has been captured by orcs. (Who? His father?) You know who "she" is. (No, I don't are you going to tell me?) Once more, I am terribly sad. Oh, sorry to say, I have to give this back to your father. (Oh no! more time of "yell about something that Aragorn did when even Aragorn doesn't know what it is" time)  
  
Does that fool even know what he did? (No! for crying out loud, which Legolas is doing, I don't even know what is going on! Some girl died, that much I know) not that he will ever find out with that slut Arwen! (Alright, someone is going to die here, make that "Alright, someone else is going to die here!") Elrond will hear of this! (Ummm, if you are sending this to him you might want to get rid of the last two lines) I hope that I can in someway make up for this but I fear that I cannot. I know that this is terrible news. If I was ever in the predicament that you were in I would die of grief. (Before of after you kill me?) I'm so very sorry.  
  
Scribe again, I just want to say that this never should happen on a wedding night. (Oh shit) I think that that is why he is so mad at Aragorn (really, ya think?). He really should learn to wait (who, me or his father?).  
  
PS: the mortality rate of this letter was five quills broken in half and three points broken. One of each was one of my special ones.  
  
PPS: make that seven broken in half. He just stepped on two that fell off. I hope I can get more.  
  
PPPS: no, nevermind the last one, they already had the points broken.  
  
PPPPS: I wonder how many PS's you can have, tell me if you find out.  
  
  
  
Well, what did you think? I hope you liked it. Did you? Tell me! Speak computer! (Man, she is mad). Ahem! Aragorn, this is not part of the message! Oh, I think that there is a limit of only PPS. After that the computer said that they were spelled wrong. Anyway: IF I DO NOT GET REVIEWS SOON I WILL DISCONTINUE THIS STORY AND YOU WILL NEVER FIND OUT WHO "SHE" IS!!! Assuming you have not realized who it is at the moment 


	8. Chapter 8

No Matter What  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Dislamer: you get the idea, I own nothing (I know nothing ~ someone on Hogan's Heroes) oh, do ask before you use excessive usage of "good night Merry" and "Pippin, go to sleep"  
  
Again, thanks to those who reviewed!!!!  
  
"Perhaps I should do something." Aragorn wondered softly. "Well, other than tie up the hobbits and stay far away from Mirkwood." "Umm, Aragorn, we are both very very very sorry for stealing the note, now could you tell us what it says?" "No Merry, no Pippin. Good night Merry, Pippin, go to sleep!" With that the two hobbits scurried off. They knew that they didn't want to be too close when he was mad. On the other hand, they wanted to know if the note had anything to do with the crying sound. To find that out they went straight to the source. "Umm, Legolas." "Yes Merry" it took a moment for him to reply but when he did Merry almost jumped for joy though he didn't know why. "Legolas, look, it is not doing you any good to try to seem like something isn't bothering you." "I know that! That is why I went away from you. I don't need a big deal made out of this. I'm just fine there is no need to worry. Just please leave me alone." "If something is bothering you, just tell me." "Alright, it is a small thing, you know short. It is now really starting to annoy me. Oh, one more thing, I have punched it once and I will again if it doesn't leave NOW!" "Why do you keep doing that?" "Doing what?" "Saying that you are going to hurt me. I know that you wouldn't really kill me." "You sound so confident. Want to stay around and test that theory?" "Umm, you know, I think that I hear Strider calling me." "I don't, and I am the one with the elven ears." "All right, I was just trying to help. If you really don't want to talk then never mind. I was really concerned that is all." Merry hung his head and started to walk away. Legolas now felt kind of sorry for him. He hadn't meant to sound so mean to the poor hobbit. Little did he know that he was doing exactly what Merry wanted him to. He was feeling guilty for turning him away. Because he was an elf and elves do have strong morals he couldn't just let Merry walk off without apologizing. The thing was, did he want Merry to know what was bothering him. In his opinion, Merry had already dug too deep in his personal life. That was extremely unexcitable. But then again, no! No! No way, no how! He was not going to tell Merry what was bothering him. "Merry, wait come back." Oh no, here it comes. I thought that I had decided not to tell him. Oh well (Legolas, before you say anything, read what I just wrote beforehand. If you don't you might get yourself killed one of these chapters. Why do they do what I tell them not to?) "If you really want to know (merry: nod), and you promise not to tell Pippin (merry: I'll work on it) then I'll tell you." "Alright." He didn't want to sound like he was excited but, truth be told, he was. "It isn't truly important to anyone, well, other than me. It's just kinda Pippins fault. All it really is is just the reason that I didn't want to leave with you guys to look for Sam. Now I feel bad about leaving. That is all " He took off the chain around his neck (you know, the one with the two rings). Merry was now wishing that he had not bothered to inquire because he didn't know more than what he started off knowing. When he didn't start to talk right away Merry said that he had to go. He did tell Pippin but when he went to tell Aragorn he found out that Aragorn already knew. Aragorn was also nice enough to answer a few questions for Merry. "I read the letter and that was about the same story that I picked up. Lets just all go to sleep." Merry was about to say something but Aragorn interrupted. "Goodnight Merry" it was after that that Pippin started talking. "Pippin! Go to sleep!" Aragorn yelled at him. The next day was very sunny. It taunted and mocked tem. They were at the height of sadness and it was sunny out. Normally they would wish for this day. Now they wished for a slight rain, a mist that hung in the air, birds refusing to sing, and damp feeling all around. That would have been better suited for the mood. Instead everything seemed happy. "People ahead" Pippin informed them. "Then let us go and meet them" Aragorn said picking up the pace. "They might know something about the orcs!" he glanced over to Legolas. He had hoped to see him showing sings of a smile of hope. Instead there was no emotion. (to avoid complications I will continue in a script type of story P1 stands for the person ahead) Aragorn: Hello!" Person1: Be ye friend or foe? A: Friends of Gondor, Mirkwood, the Shire, Most Dwarven homes, and almost everything but Orcs, Goblins, and such evil creatures P1: ah, then friend. What is your quest? A: we seek to find our friends, who were captured by Orcs, have you seen any around here? P1: yes, yes we did actually. They had two people with them. One looked as though he was little more than a child. I assume it was male. They had their heads covered. The other was tall and slender. It was a she for sure. Would those be the ones you are seeking? A: yes! That is them. Were they well? Pippin: please say that they were! P1: the taller of the two walked with a slight limp. I fear that they might do her in in order to move faster. I truly am glad that I do not know her. P: and of the sorter one? P1: just fine. He seemed hardy enough to withstand this and whatever else they could dish out. Legolas: do you have anymore information. Even the slightest bit would be useful. It might seem meaningless to you but it would mean the world to us. P1: sorry, that is all fair elf. I know how it feels to not know the fate of those who are close to you. No, wait, I do have some info that could help. There is a village up ahead. In there, there is a powerful woman. She simply looks into a smoke, says what she wants to see, and the smoke forms into people. These people show how that person is doing. She could show you how the two of them are doing. A: thank you so much. You don't happen t know how long it was sense you saw the orcs? P1: matter of fact, I don't. I have a horrible memory of dates. I don't even know what day it is or how long it has been sense I left home. A: thank you anyway  
  
With that they parted ways. No one said anything for an hour. Each of them was silently deciding who would go first. They didn't know if they could see two people at the same time if they were close together. They soon found out that they could not. When they found out the price they also found out that they could only afford for her to look for one person. "Sam is more important." Aragorn said when Legolas couldn't hear him. "I think that we should spend it on him. But, well, it is our fault that the elf got caught so I don't really know." "Sam is more important" Aragorn heard Legolas say. (Ha, good luck being out of the earshot of an elf! You would have to be half a world away!) After some talking it was decided that they would try for Sam. With that in mind they walked off to look for her house again. It was easy to get turned around in this place. Surprisingly they found it easily and went in.  
  
All right, sorry that it has been so long but oh well, here it is. Hint: to get fasted updates, review more. The more reviews the more updates. Just a hint 


	9. Chapter 9

So you decided to review! Good. I quit my other story because no one wanted to tell me that they liked it. I don't want to do that with this one.  
  
"I looked at the prices," Aragorn informed them "there is a way that we could see both of them but it wouldn't help us find them as well. I personally think that we should find Sam and o for the more expensive one that will help us find him. Is that alright with everyone?" He looked around to see if anyone had anything to say. When he saw that they didn't they started to o into the store. "Hello there, I know your choice." The lady told them as they came in. "WOW!" Pippin exclaimed. "She is good!" "Yes I am, but I could hear you talking outside my door." She turned away from Pippin and spoke to Aragorn. "You seem to be in charge here. Is it the more expensive package the one where you can talk to the person? That is what I thought but I just want to be sure." "Yes, and here is your pay" Aragorn handed her the coins. They walked up a ladder onto the top of her house where she did her work. The fire was going and there were pillows set out for them to sit on. She cast spells on the fire and the smoke started to look like Sam soon the area around him started to appear in the smoke. It twisted in wound itself into the images making everything slightly transparent. "Sam!" Pippin called out. "Who said that?" Sam's response filled their heads. "It's us you dolt!" Merry laughed. "How, I mean, what is going on?" "Don't worry about that now, just answer the next few questions" Aragorn ruined their little chat. "What is this, a survey?" "First question, do you know where you are?" Aragorn asked completely ignoring him. "Not really. I have some knowledge but not enough to tell you much." It went into a very long dull conversation about where he was and where he had gone. Merry fell asleep during it. Everyone else, except Aragorn, was envious of him. Eventually Pippin had had it with the dull conversation. "Can you let someone else talk to him for a change?" Pip yelled at Aragorn. "Let me talk to him!" With that Pippin and Sam started talking. They found out that Sam was fine and perfectly healthy. "Legolas, do you want to talk to him?" Aragorn asked cautiously. "No. I don't really want to." "He might know something." Aragorn said as he forced the elf to look at him by moving into his line of sight. "Alright, I will" despite agreeing he didn't look too happy. "Sam, is there an elf traveling with you?" "Ya. I haven't seen her too much though." "How is she?" his voice was almost timid as if he didn't want to know for fear of bad news. "I don't really know. She didn't look exceptionally good last time I saw her. In fact, she didn't look good at all. Why do you ask?" Legolas gave no answer. He just sat there, deep in thought, as the connection to Sam broke and the smoke spread off into the sky. "I hope you got all of your answers." The old woman said as she started down the ladder. They walked on in silence. Aragorn was in the lead because, according to him, he knew where to go. The day seemed to drag on for hours longer than normal. It wasn't as though they didn't want to speak it was more that they didn't feel like they could. From what they had heard it was worse than when Merry and Pippin were captured. When they got back on the trail Aragorn spoke extremely quietly in Elvish. "Legolas, lag behind for a moment." Legolas did and was glad that he did. "I'm sorry that we didn't get to talk to her." "it isn't important." Legolas tried to walk off away but Aragorn grabbed his shoulders and spun him around. "yes it is important. I fear for your safety as well." "I am well, you can see for yourself." "you have grown silent." Aragorn said to prove his point. "I have never been loud," Legolas avoided his eyes. "Even so, why would that matter?" "Elves die of grief. I know that you are strong but even the greatest of Elves have died when someone close to them is in grave danger."  
  
Legolas sat down on a log a few feet off of the path. Although Aragorn knew that he didn't want to be bothered, he just had to talk to him. "What was her name?" he asked as he sat down on the log. "Silke," he stated quietly as though it hurt to remember. "We will get her back, I will not stop until I find her." "You would do that for me?" Legolas was in a state of disbelief. "And myself, I want to be able to see Mirkwood without getting killed. Now come on, we can't get too far behind. The hobbits can hardly think for themselves, I'd hate to see the trial we would take with them in charge."  
  
Well, what next? YOU MUST REVIEW TO FIND OUT!!!!!!! How I got the name Silke: in German class we each picked a name off of a sheet of paper. I picked Silke. 


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